Turnout the ANC’s only worry‚ says Gwede Mantashe

The African National Congress’s (ANC’s) only worry in the local government election is the question of turnout‚ its secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said at the Electoral Commission of SA’s operations centre in Tshwane on Thursday.

The number of ANC voters who turned out to cast their ballots would affect the party’s proportional representation (PR). “So this is what we are worried (about)‚” he said.

The IEC announced earlier that the voter turnout of 58.29% in this year’s local government elections was just “slightly higher” than the 57.6% recorded in 2011.

The 2011 figure was the highest since the first municipal election in 2000‚ with 23.65-million people registered to vote. This year there are 26.3-million registered voters.

“In terms of wards we are doing very well‚” Mantashe said.

“In Tshwane we have lost one‚ we have gained two…. So we are doing relatively well‚” he said.

By 11am on Thursday‚ 77.8% of results had been captured‚ Chief Electoral Officer Mosotho Moepya said at the IEC operations centre.